Ghosts of the Winter Street Cemetery Tour benefits museum

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Posted Oct. 17, 2012 at 3:15 AM

Posted Oct. 17, 2012 at 3:15 AM

EXETER — Have you ever wanted to meet with some of Exeter’s famous departed residents? You’ll have the opportunity at the Winter Street Cemetery, as role players portray members of the Folsom, Smith, Emery, and Gilman families on Saturday, Oct. 27. Because last year’s inaugural program, was sold out, an extra session has been added this year. The program was created by Wendy Bergeron, curator for the American Independence Museum.“There are many Revolutionary War veterans buried at Winter Street Cemetery and we’ll have their graves marked with flags, and at either the 3 o’clock session or the 4:30 session, visitors will be able to ‘meet’ members of some of Exeter’s early families. They will also meet Jude Hall, a former slave who fought at Bunker Hill and Valley Forge,” said Bergeron. “These people led extraordinary lives and were witnesses to so much of our early history. Our role players will share their stories in the graveyard.”The role players are scheduled to portray Major General Nathaniel Folsom, Colonel Nicholas Gilman, Dorothy Smith Folsom, Jude Hall, Deborah Folsom Gilman, and Elizabeth Emery Folsom.Reservations are required for the tour and may be made using PayPal by visiting the museum’s website calendar at www.independencemuseum.org, or by calling 603-772-2622 to pay by credit card. Two 90-minute sessions are offered at 3 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. and will take place at Winter Street Cemetery.Admission fees are $10 for adults, $8 for children under 12 and for museum members. The program is historical in nature, and may not be appropriate for younger children.“We also want to remind people that this historic cemetery is a final resting place, so we will need to be careful of where we walk and do so in a respectful manner,” added Bergeron, who is also a member of Exeter’s Historic District Commission. She recommends that appropriate clothing and footwear be worn. “Last year we had that freak snowstorm, so who knows what will happen weatherwise!”The Winter Street Cemetery is located in a triangle of land, bordered by Front Street (Rt. 111), Railroad Avenue, and Winter Street. A small children’s playground is located at one point of the triangle.The American Independence Museum is located at One Governor’s Lane in Exeter and is comprised of two buildings, the Ladd-Gilman House and Folsom Tavern. The mission of the museum is to connect America’s Revolutionary past with the present. It is open Wednesday through Saturdays from 10 to 4; guided or self-guided tours are available. The museum’s regular tour season ends on Saturday, Oct. 27 but additional events are planned for November.# #